Bullying isn’t isolated only to students at school. It affects the teachers, administrators, and staff as well. For many LGBTQ teachers this is a common occurrence.

Earlier this month, Karis Anne Ross’s mother Jill Grienke came forward to make sure Milwaukee Public Schools handle future bullying situations differently. Karis was a transgender woman who was a long time special educator of the German Immersion Public School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In November 2014 she committed suicide after being bullied for years. Her own colleagues were said to have bullied her before and after her transition.

As a native Wisconsinite, a man of trans experience, and a special educator, it pains me to see another life lost within the transgender community. When I transitioned, I made a decision to keep my trans status private. One of my biggest fears was not being able to stay in the teaching profession…